Ports and Maritime

Colin Bell

I am the software and technical manager for the products team at the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool.  I have been a professional software designer and developer for nearly 30 years specialising in marine software for tidal level / current prediction and harmonic analysis - working with both coastal data (from tide gauges) and offshore data (from numerical model simulations).  I've been involved with a number of ports/harbours and offshore operators, and worked on specific projects for renewable energy, flood defence and particle tracking.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Sea and Society
Afilliation: National Oceanography Centre


Eddie Blanco-Davis

I am an LJMU Senior Lecturer and LOOM member since July 2015. I obtained a BSc on Marine Engineering and Shipyard Management from the US Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY, in 2004, and sailed briefly on containerships. I also hold an MSc and a PhD from the Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering from the University of Strathclyde.

My research interests include human factors applied to shipboard operations; life cycle assessment applied to marine operations and machinery; marine environmental protection and regulation, including emission control, ship ballast water management and alternatives; and environmentally sound marine propulsion systems.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Ana Bras

I am Ana Bras, CEng, FICE, PhD and Reader (Associate Professor) in Bio-materials for Infrastructure at the School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), with 19 years of experience on development of construction materials and systems aligned with UK net-zero strategy for infrastructure. I established a research group to develop and implement innovative self-healing bio-based materials, making infrastructures more resilient and durable to water environments, through the re-use of locally available soil and wastes. The aim is to promote recovery and adaptation to environment change, limiting resource depletion. I generated over £1.8 million of direct contribution to LJMU as PI/Co-I (MSCAs Horizon Europe, H2020, Royal Society, ICE, RAEng, British Council, etc). 

https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/staff-profiles/faculty-of-engineering-and-technology/school-of-civil-engineering-and-built-environment/ana-armada-bras

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean

Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Jill Burgess

I’m a Liverpool girl born and bred and even stayed in our wonderful city to study Geography at the University of Liverpool.  I’ve been at the National Oceanography Centre since 2004 working within the Marine Information Products and Services Team which is the commercial arm of the NOC. My aim within LISCO is to develop new collaborations, business partnerships and new opportunities with those interested in coastal processes, tidal predictions, and coastal management. Additionally I am particularly interested in continuing to develop good public engagement activities in order to raise public awareness of the research within LISCO.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre


Simone Durr

I am a benthic community ecologist and work applied in biofouling and antifouling. My interests are in the multidisciplinary development of non-toxic antifouling solutions, biofouling quantification methods, ballast water, invasive species, larval behaviour and species interactions in a changing environment due to the climate change.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Çağatay Iris

Çağatay Iris is a Lecturer (equivalent, Assistant Professor) in Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of Liverpool Management School. Çağatay has research interests in transport and logistics (including freight transport, next-generation ports, shipping, hinterlands, urban logistics, crowdshipping), shared economy and energy management. Recently, he has projects related to energy efficiency in seaports, port microgrids, economic investment analysis in maritime energy projects and fuels. He mostly uses mathematical modelling and data analytics methods to help decision marking in logistics investments, improve the performance of logistics systems, and reach net-zero targets. 

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool Management School

 


David Jones

I am the Head of Mechanical Engineering at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) Liverpool, where I have worked since 1990. My role is to design and oversee the manufacture of bespoke equipment used in all NOC projects. I design build, and deploy equipment for tide gauge systems in the UK and overseas, deep ocean landers, instrument platforms, instrument deployment and recovery systems. I also manage the mechanical workshop; which is equipped with CNC machinery enabling us to produce precision parts and prototypes. We also have an area for the assembly and testing of equipment prior to deployment.  

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre


Jason Kirby

I am a Professor of Physical Geography in the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University. My main coastal research expertise is in reconstructing sea-level changes from salt-marsh sediment records (also known as ‘geological tide gauges’). I have also worked on the short-medium term dynamics (months-years) of inter-tidal mudflats in estuary systems. Recent projects have explored the environmental factors influencing microbial degradation of TBT in muddy port sediment as a potential bioremediation technique. 

Themes: Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Christos Kontovas

Reader in Sustainable Maritime Transportation and Logistics at the School of Engineering, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Christos holds a Diploma (2005) in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and a Ph.D. (2011) in the area of maritime safety and environmental protection.  His research focuses on quantitative methods, including cost-benefit, decision and risk analysis, related to health, safety and environmental protection (incl. ship air emissions, prevention of oil pollutions and collisions between vessels and marine animals). Christos holds an extensive experience from participation in several large-scale EU projects, as well from being a member of delegations to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Themes: Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Nicoletta Leonardi

Professor of Coastal Dynamics. I am a civil engineer specializing in coastal studies and computer modelling and an EPSRC Fellow with the project ''ENARM: Engineering with Nature: combining Artificial intelligence, Remote sensing and computer Models for the optimum design of coastal protection schemes' (2021-2026I have an international reputation for the study of coastline evolution, hydrodynamics and coastal management strategies with focus on engineering with nature. My expertise spans the use of different types of computer models and models coupling for the investigation of hydrodynamics and geomorphology (e.g. ROMS, Delft3d, stochastic models and AI models) and field data collections (e.g. acoustic measurements for hydrodynamics, sediment transport and geomorphological measurements). 

Themes: Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: University of Liverpool


Christian Matthews

As Director of the School of Engineering at Liverpool John Moores University I lead an academic team with a broad range of interests in the Maritime and Marine sectors. My role means that I am involved in projects ranging from renewable offshore energy sources, through cleaner energy efficient ships, to the management of ports and maritime infrastructure. I am an active participant with the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) and am a current member of their working group on research projects.  

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Dmitry Shchukin

I am Professor in Chemistry at the University of Liverpool, Director of Ultra Mixing and Processing group at the Chemistry Department, University of Liverpool. My research activities include the study of the non-equilibrated interfaces; development of composite hollow nanocontainers  with controlled shell permeability for encapsulation of the energy-enriched materials, biocides, phase change materials, drugs, corrosion inhibitors; development of nanocontainer-based feedback active surfaces for further application in active self-healing materials, antifouling coatings and medicine; synthesis of nanomaterials with new properties in the ultrasonic cavitation zone, synthesis of amorphous nanocomposites with enhanced catalytic performance in non-equilibrated conditions at the cavitation interface; ultrasonic surface modification of metals for catalytic and biomedical (implants) applications.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: University of Liverpool


Sam Solnick

My research focuses on questions of environment and ecology in literature, film, theatre, and visual art. Current projects and interests relevant to LISCO include include: the aesthetics of climate change; ‘energy humanities’ (particularly ‘petro-culture’); the history of sugar and the Liverpool Docks; cultural representations of apocalypse, pollution and environmental disaster; literature and/about the sea. I have an extensive outreach and impact track record working with schools, the NHS and various Merseyside arts institutions and I have published widely about literature, science and environment for both academic and public-facing outlets including The Independent, Art Agenda, The Times Literary Supplement, RA Magazine, Newsweek and the BBC. 

Themes: Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool


Dongping Song

My research focuses on applying data analytics, mathematical modelling, artificial intelligence, and simulation-based tools to various supply chain, logistics and transportation systems, particularly in the area of maritime transport and decarbonisation. Recent research projects include: "UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub (2023-2027)" funded by EPSRC; "Combined passenger and goods transportation in suburb traffic (2023-2026)" funded by ESRC; "Data-enabled decarbonisation at seaports (2024)" funded by combined EPSRC and ESRC Impact Acceleration Account at UoL; "Digitalisation for operational efficiency and GHG emission reduction at container ports (2022-2023)" funded by EPSRC.

Themes: Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: University of Liverpool


Jin Wang

Prof. Jin Wang’s research interests are in design and operation of large maritime engineering systems. He has published extensively in this area, making him among top 100 in Civil Engineering globally. He has led three EU funded projects as coordinator, and as PI seven EPSRC funded projects. He has won several awards for his research work including the 2017 RINA - Lloyd’s Register Maritime Safety Award for Lifetime Achievement. He has completed the supervision of over 80 doctoral or postdoctoral researchers. Prof. Wang was a sub-panel member (Unit of Assessment 12) in the UK’s REF 2014 and 2021. He is also Chair of the UK-Malaysia University Consortium (UK-MUC).

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University


Zaili Yang

Professor of Maritime Transport at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), UK. Prior to my current appointment, I was Reader in Maritime Transport (2010-2014) and a lecturer in Maritime Operations (2007-2010) at the School of Engineering, Technology and Maritime Operations, LJMU. I received my BEng in Maritime Transportation from Dalian Maritime University, China, in 2001, MSc in International Transport from Cardiff University, UK, in 2003, and PhD in Maritime Safety from LJMU, UK, in 2006. My research interests are analysis and modelling of safety, resilience and sustainability of transport networks, particularly maritime and logistics systems.

Themes: Coastal Resilience, Ports and Maritime
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University